Augments

From: Labrygon_at_...
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 03:24:55 EST

In a message dated 24/11/2004 7:01:01 PM AUS Eastern Standard Time, HeroQuest-rules_at_yahoogroups.com writes:

> Strings of +1s and +2s is dramatic and fun? Well, if you say so. I
> personally find the grubbing around for another augment pretty dull.
>

I have to agree with Graham here. Not only are piddling little +1s and +2s dull, they very rarely make any difference to the outcome which is mostly resolved by who rolled lowest. This was a response to a player led "just roll the dice" revolution.

My solution, which I've posted before, is to only allow rolled augments, to only allow the best one to be used, and to allow them after the main roll (for simple contests). The sequence is thus:

1)roll contest
2)see what bonus is needed to make any difference. 
3)pick best augmenting ability, see what you need to get the required bonus - 
roll for it. 
       (any penalties applied against the augmenting ability) 

(opponent does the same)
4)if this fails, pick second best augmenting ability, roll for that. 5) repeat, until augmenting abilities either are not good enough or the risk outweighs the reward.

This has elements of the fun of searching your sheet for relevant abilities. It has a sort of 'cliffhanger' drama to it, where failure is brought back by the heroic use of some obscure ability. I allow use of hero points to bump those rolled augments to suitable levels. Each ability can only be tried once.

For extended contests, augments are rolled in advance, but again, only the best can be used, and it takes an action. Even ones that are, in other games, 'always on' are rolled for.

Keith